Protective cover having means for releasably securing it to a surface



Aug. 16, 1966 G. ALTMAN PROTECTIVE COVER HAVING MEANS FOR RELEASABLY SECURING IT TO A SURFACE Filed July 7 1965 INVENTOR 525 7/? V5 fix. TM/M United States Patent 3 266 841 rnornorrvn oovEnnAvrNG MEANS non ne- ILEASABLY SECURING IT TO A SURFACE Gustave Aitman, 570 @cean Farkway, Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed .Iuiy 7, 1965, Ser. No. 470,183 2 Ciaims. (Cl. 297220) This invention relates to protective covers and more specifically to a novel and improved disposable cover having means for releasably attaching it to a surface such as the head-rest of a chair. While it will become more apparent as the description proceeds that the invention is useful in a Wide variety of applications, it will be described in detail in connection with head-rest covers.

In the past, head-rest covers particularly for the use in public conveyances, such as trains, airplanes, and the like, have been removably secured to the seats by snap fasteners, buttons and the like. In other cases, a fabric strip having a plurality of fine hook-like elements has been secured to the back of the seat and a mesh-like paper was directly attached to the fabric strip by firmly pressing it in place utilizing a metal tool to force the paper into the engagement by the hook-like elements. These structures have not been found particularly satisfactory as they all entail mechanical operations requiring considerable time, and in the case of the mesh-like paper, the installer was required to carry a special tool to firmly press the paper into contact with the minute hook-like elements in order to obtain satisfactory attachment.

This invention overcomes the foregoing difliculties and provides a novel and improved arrangement and coordination of elements for removably securing protective covers to head-rests and the like quickly and easily and Without the need for specific tools and devices.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel and improved head-rest cover adapted for easy attachment to a strip of material having a plurality of minute hook-like elements.

Still another object of the invention resides in the pro vision of a novel and improved head-rest cover for releasable attachment to seats in public conveyances and the like.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings forming part of this application.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the improved headrest cover in accordance with the invention attached to the back of a seat.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary, perspective view of FIG. 1, showing the head-rest cover in accordance with the invention in the course of being secured to the seat back.

FIGURE 3 is a greatly enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, taken along the line 33 thereof.

FIGURE 4 is a greatly enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. 1, taken along the line 4-4 thereof.

FIGURE 5 is an exploded perspective view of a fragmentary portion of a head-rest cover in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 6 is an exploded, perspective view of a fragmentary portion of a head-rest cover in accordance with the invention and with the attaching means in position on the cover.

The disposable head-rest cover in accordance with the invention embodies a novel and improved construction which is easily fabricated and which can be firmly adhered to a strip of material having a multiplicity of minute hooklike elements throughout its surface. These hook-like elements are generally formed of a synthetic material such as plastic or the like.

Referring now to the drawings, the head-rest cover in accordance with the invention is generally denoted by the numeral 10 and it comprises a sheet of material 11 of paper, plastic, fabric, or the like which is generally in rectangular form. The seat back 12 to which the disposable head-rest cover 10 is attached has a strip 13 secured to the top edge thereof. This strip includes a plurality of hook-like elements 14 as shown in FIG. 3, which are carried by the backing material 15.

The sheet 11 is provided with a thread-like strip of material 16 formed with a plurality of loops or knots and attached along at least one edge of the cover material 11. While this looped or knotted thread 16 may be secured to material 11 in any suitable manner, one procedure which has been found most effective involves zigzag stitches 17 which bridge the thread 16. These stitches may be seen more clearly in FIGURES 3 and 4.

One form of the thread 16 that has been found most effective in firmly attaching the sheet 11 to the attaching strip 13 is a looped thread formed of fine nylon, as for example a thread of the type shown in United States Patent No. 3,076,307 granted February 5, 1963. It is of course understood that other types loosely woven and knotted threads may be utilized in accordance with the invention.

The completed head-rest cover as shown in FIGURE 6 can be readily and easily attached to the back of the seat merely by pressing the thread 16 into the attaching strip 13 by applying a light pressure along the length of the thread. This pressure can be applied simply by running the hand lightly over a portion of the headrest overlying the strip 13. Engagement of the thread 16 with the attaching strip 13 is shown in FIGURE 4.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that the sheet 11 may be made of any desired material, such as paper, cloth, or the like, and the attaching thread 16 may also take any suitable form provided however that the weave is loose and has loop elements or the like to firmly engage the hooks.

While only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is apparent that alterations, modifications and changes may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit thereof as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cover for removable attachment to a surface having at least one strip of a material secured thereto and containing a plurality of minute hook-like means ex tending therefrom, said cover comprising a sheet of material and an elongated thread afiixed to said sheet along at least a portion of an edge thereof, said elongated thread having a multiplicity of loosely formed loop portions extending from the axis of the thread which firmly engage said hook-like means.

2. A head rest cover according to claim 1 wherein said elongated thread is secured to said cover by zigzag stitches bridging said thread.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,063,749 11/ 1962 Struble 297--220 3,066,321 12/1962 Kintner 5320 3,076,307 2/ 1963 Marshall 57144 3,078,653 2/1963 Marshall 57144 3,113,803 12/1963 Struble 297220 3,160,143 12/1964 Gray 119-96 3,185,197 5/1965 Spiro 52 3,188,137 6/1965 Sarvas 297-218 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,249,349 11/ 1960 France.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. FRANCIS K. ZUGEL, Examiner. 

1. A COVER REMOVABLE ATTACHMENT TO A SURFACE HAVING AT LEAST ONE STRIP OF A MATERIAL SECURED THERETO AND CONTAINING A PLURALITY OF MINUTE HOOK-LIKE MEANS EXTENDING THEREFROM, SAID COVER COMPRISING A SHEET OF MATERIAL AND AN ELONGATED THREAD AFFIXED TO SAID SHEET ALONG AT LEAST A PORTION OF AND EDGE THEREOF, SAID ELONGATED THREAD HAVING A MULTIPLICITY OF LOOSELY FORMED LOOP PORTIONS EXTENDING FROM THE AXIS OF THE THREAD WHICH FIRMLY ENGAGE SAID HOOK-LIKE MEANS. 